Male psychology is about psychological aspects of men and boys. Most people don’t realise that three quarters of suicides are by men, and that boys have been falling behind girls in education since the 1980s. These and other issues are not being sufficiently addressed by psychologists, nor by others who might help e.g. in the government, health services and the media. This is why it is important to take an interest in male psychology.

What is the Male Psychology Network?

The Male Psychology Network is a group of psychologists and allied professionals who recognise the needs of men and boys, and want to do something to help. For example, some of us volunteer our time to put on an annual conference at University College London (UCL) dedicated to addressing issues facing men and boys. We also volunteer our time to undertake research projects in this field. Some of the current projects are here and ones that have been completed have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Are you an all-male group?

About a third of the people associated with the Male Psychology Network are women. We value the support of equity feminists.

Do you address issues facing women and girls?

Yes. Almost all of our research projects involve women. This means that when we say something like ‘men in general think X’, we can also say ‘women in general think X (or Y or Z)’. We believe it is important to understand men and women, but the specific need regarding male psychology stems from the fact that some issues facing men and boys are not being sufficiently addressed by mainstream research and healthcare provision.

Why do you need a special section of the British Psychological Society?

To address the urgent issues facing men and boys effectively, we need a solid platform from which to focus the skills and creativity of those who want to help. A Male Psychology section of the British Psychological Society would be the ideal platform from which to achieve this. That is why we are asking members of the BPS to vote for the Male Psychology section.